will this work (reply quickly please!)

[welsh]

hey, for some reason wont take to my new harddrive or at least XP, heres my question, if install windows xp on one hard drive and then install my sata drive and copy everything from the old drive to the new drive, will it still work on my new drive if i remove the old drive? sort of a windows transplant.

 

[lancec2c30]

uuummmh I think you have to have the disc and reinstall it on the new drive.

come to thin of it, I think you unplug your current drive, then you install the new one and when it says format you do so and then insert the windows disc and install windows on the new drive.

So when that is done and you can run your pc on that drive you just reinstall the old drive as a slave and copy all old files.

 

[welsh]

the problem is, my new drive isnt taking windows xp. it will take linux, windows 98, but it hh it.angs on the install of windows xp. so i want to do a windows transplant. also i cant return my drive so im stuck with it.

 

[Win2kpatcher]

No it most likely wont work because you are not copying the boot records over

 

[talldude123]

You could probably Ghost the two hard drives.

Use Norton Ghost on the two hard drives.

 

[welsh]

would there be a way to copy the boot records over, like change em?

EDIT: what do u mean ghost the hard drives? also the hard drive i managed to get windows installed on has had problems in the past like not work, then work again and then not work again.

EDIT #2: wait i just saw this: http://www.symantec.com/content/en/us/home_homeoffice/images/screenshots/hho-Ghost_screenshot_lg.gif you rock!

 

[Win2kpatcher]

You could probably Ghost the two hard drives.

Use Norton Ghost on the two hard drives.

I would agree with this on one condition...I have spent many hours testing ghost/cloning programs so that questions can have accurate answers..usually yes this works perfect though..

First the drives must be of the same platforms..SATA to SATA or IDE to IDE..

I found that with testing I could not for the life of me get an image copied from an IDE to SATA or vice versa to boot..I tried many differnt options all with the same results. So if they are the same interface I say do it

 

[welsh]

damnet, ones IDE and the other is SATA, any free ghost/clone programs out there?

 

[Win2kpatcher]

Well both Symantec Ghost and Acronis True Image are free if you know where to look..but I didnt say that..lol.

 

[welsh]

no you wouldnt because that would be bad and we all know we are very good people here......and yes it appears i found the right site..ill leave it at that.